Gas treatment



July 19, 1938. c. B, FAvl-:RTY

GAS TREATMENT Filed Dec; l5, 1932 A @da Flle/f ,Ey M/S 777 a P'a'tented'Jully 19,*1938 'A A .I

'UNITED STATES PATENT oFrlcE,

GAS TREATMENT Clyde B. Faverty, ChicagoJll., assignor to N Mark C. Bates, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 15, 1932, Serial No. 647,392 11 Claims. (Cl. 48-213) My invention relates in general to gas treat- The gas to be enriched is forced under pressure ment. It relates more in particular to anK imthrough an aspirator apparatus to which the vaproved gas product, the method of producing porized hydrocarbon is delivered whereby the vathe same and apparatus with which the method porized hydrocarbon is drawn into the stream of is carried on. gas to be enriched in proportions controlled to Iln industrial utilization of commercial gas such obtain the proper amount 0f increased Combusas water gas, furnace gas and other combinations tible metter arid/01 hydrocarbon Content. In and 'mixtures of gas, there are times when the the preferred form, the gas which is to be burned. gas is not sulciently rich in certain respects for to provide hot gases :for the vaporization f the 4 the proper carrying on of the process. When gas liquid hydrocarbon is withdrawn from the appa- 10 is used for producingl a relatively high temperaratus immediately after the gas has been enture, for example, the maximum temperature riched, whereby the enriched mixture is burned possible is often substantially equivalent to the in the manner and for the purpose described. maximum theoretical temperature obtainable Referring now to the drawing, I provide a with the particular gas employed.. If there is Vapor chamber Ill to which fuel is supplied by a 15 the slightest deviation from theoretical calculaline II leading fromy a iloat chamber I2, the float tions, the'temperature produced will be below rechamber being connected by a pipe I3 to a quirements and the processl utilizing the high storage tank I4, a-sediment bulb I6 being intertemperature will suffer proportionately. Simiposed in the line. A balance line Il is connected larly, when a certain type of furnace atmosphere to the top of the vapor chamber and to the top 20l is to be maintained with a given gas product, any of the iloat whereby to maintain a uniform presslight deviations in the character of the comsure in the float chamber and vaporchamber. mercial gas will have a detrimental eiect upon A passageway ila leads from the top of the the furnace atmosphere. In the use of gas for vapor chamber to aVenturi tube I8 forming part carburizing purposes, a gasY having a relatively of an aspirator, a forcingnnozzle I9 being con- 25 great carbon' content is required and ordinary nected to the'Venturi tube to withdraw vapor gases utilized for this purpose are sometimes from the passageway I'Ia. A butterfly type of either declentin carbon or carry the carbon in valve 2| is interposed to' control the amount such a form as to prevent its being utilized to an of vapor delivered to the aspirator.

its fullest extent in the process. My invention, A pipe 22 extending through the wall of a 30 therefore, relates to enriching substantially any manifold 23 connected to the aspirator withdraws type of commercial gas by increasing the B. t. u. gas therefrom and delivers thesame to a pilot content thereof and also the available carbon burner 24. This pilot burner is formed to progontent, y v duce a mixture of air and the gas Withdrawn The principal object of my invention is the through the pipe 22 and includes a forcing noz- 35 provision of an improved gas supply. A zie 26 formed on the end of the pipe 22 and ex- Another object is the provision of an improved tending into the burner 24, the burner being method of and means for enriching standard shaped around the forcing nozzle with a plutypes of combustible gas. rality of openings`21 for admitting air topro- 40 I Another object is the provision of such a methrduce 'a combustible mixture. This combustible 40 od in. which the gas itself may be utilized as a mixture is burned at the burner tip 24a and the control, products of combustion are delivered through a Other objects and features of the inventio passageway 28 to a point below the level of liqwill be apparent from a consideration of the foluid in the vapor chamber. This level is indilowing detailed description, taken with the accated by the dotted line. The lower end of the 45 companying drawing, wherein the single gure pipe or passageway 28 is provided with a' per- 'l shows apparatus with which the method may be foi-ated plate 29 which separates the hot gases practiced. and allows them to bubble up through the holes In general, the method which I employ comvin the bubble plate 29 and through the body of 5o prisesA vaporizing a liquid hydrocarbon by passliquid hydrocarbon. It is the sensible heat from 50 ing through a container hot products of comthese gases and possibly to some extent also the bustion whereby the sensible heat of such prodspeed of movement of the gases which causes the ucts of combustion is effective to entrain and ,Vaporization oi the liquid hydrocarbon. f vaporize portions of the liquid approaching The burner nozzle or tip 24a. is covered by a :molecular size to produce a hydrocarbon vapor. sealing ring 3| adapted to be withdrawn to per- 55 mit lighting the pilot burner. I also provide a valve sary, t e amount of gas delivered to the pilot burner. In general, I prefer to vaporize the fuel entirely by sensible heat of the products of combustion of the pilot burner and depend upon utilizing a slightly greater amount of enriching mixture if a more than usual carbon content is required.

The forcing nozzle I9 is connected by a pipe 33 with a blower 34, the blower withdrawing gas from a line 36 connected with a main gas line 3l. A valve 38 may be interposed in the line, if necessary.

As an example o1' the use of my invention, it may be stated that ordinary city gas will be found to contain from 250 to 500 .B. t. u. per cubic foot. duced by the method which I employ, contains approximately 4000 B. t. u. per cubic foot. A satisfactory mixture of the two gases s'uicient in B. t. u. and carbon content for most purposes is l ten parts of the ordinary city gas with one part of the vaporized hydrocarbon. Assume the use of a city gas of 350 B. t. u. per cubic foot. This mixture then would yield a combination gas having a B. t. u. content o f approximately 700 per cubic foot. This type of gas will increase the maximum temperature obtainable very considerably and is very valuable when utilized with processes that require a relatively very high temperature. Even when the maximum temperature is not required, it provides a Working range in which even under the most adverse conditions a sufficiently high temperature is always obtainable. For carburization processes, it is readily apparent that the vaporized hydrocarbon having a relatively high carbon content will provide a readily available source of carbon in sufficiently great proportions even when combined in the proportions set out so that carburizing processes can be carried on more readily, more cheaply and with more satisfactory results.

Reference is hereby made to my copending application, Serial No. 647,391, filed December 15, 1932, which contains claims to apparatus described and shown in the present application but not claimed herein.

I have described my invention in detail to permit those skilled in theart to practice the same. I do not limit myself, however, to the specific details described, the invention being limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises burning a combustible mixture, passing the hot gas of such combustion through a body of liquid hydrocarbon to vaporize a portion thereof, forcing the combustible gas to be enriched through a constricted space and delivering thereto the vaporized hydrocarbon whereby to cause the vaporized hydrocarbon to be entrained in the combustible gas and to be thoroughly admixed therewith.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the enriched gas is withdrawn, mixed with air and then burned to produce hot gases which are employed to eifect the vaporization of the liquid hydrocarbon.

3. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises vaporizing a liquid hydrocarbon, and aspirating the resulting vapors by means of a stream of the combustible gas to be enriched whereby a thorough com- 2 in the pipe line 22 to control, if neces-A Vaporized hydrocarbon, when promingling of the combustible gas and the hydrocarbon vapor is effected, the process being continuo'us and the heat serving to vaporize addi-' tional amounts. of liquid hydrocarbon being generated by burning a minor proportion of the mixture oi' combustible gas and vaporized hydro- 4. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises burning a portion of said gas to provide hot gaseous proclucts of combustion, passing said hot gases of combustion into intimate contact with a proportion of liquid hydrocarbon greater than can be vaporized by said hot gases of combustion whereby a portion only of said liquid hydrocarbon is vaporized, and withdrawing the resulting vapors and commingling said vapors with the combusti-l ble gas to be enriched.

5. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises maintaining a pool of a liquid hydrocarbon in a chamber, passing hot gases of combustion beneath the surface of said pool of liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a part only of said`liquid hydrocarbon is eifected proportioned to the amount of hot gases passing therethrough, intimately commingling the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon with the combustible gas to be enriched, withdrawing a minor proportion of said mixture and then burning it to provide hot gases of combustion the hot gases of said latter combustion being utilized to eifect the vaporization of additional amounts of the liquid hydrocarbon.

6. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises maintaining a pool of a liquid hydrocarbon in a chamber, passing hot gases of combustion beneath the surface of said pool of liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a part only of said liquid hydrocarbon is eifected proportioned to the amount of hot gases passing therethrough, and intimately commingling the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon with the combustible gas to be enriched.

7. A method of enriching commerical supplies of a combustible gas which comprises providing an excess of a liquid hydrocarbon, passing hot gases of combustion into intimate contact with said liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a part only of said liquid hydrocarbon is effected proportioned to the amount of hot gases contacted therewith, intimately commingling the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon with the combustible gas to be enriched, withdrawing a minor proportion of said mixture and then burning it to provide hot gases of combustion, the hot gases of said latter combustion being utilized to effect the vaporization of additional amounts of the liquid hydrocarbon.

8. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises providing a liquid hydrocarbon, passing hot gases of combustion into contact with said liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization thereof is effected, in-

` timately commingling the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon with the combustible gas to be enriched, withdrawing a minor proportion of said mixture and then burning it to provide hot gases of combustion, the hot gases of said latter combustion being utilized to eifect the vaporization of additional amounts of the liquid hydrocarbon.

9. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises providing an excess of a liquid hydrocarbon, passing hot gases of combustion into intimate contact with said liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a part only'of said liquid hydrocarbon is effected proportioned to the amount ot hot gases contacted therewith, and intimately commingling the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon with the combustible gas to be enriched.

10. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises providing hot gases resulting from a combustion of combustible material, intimately contacting a regulated amount of said hot gases with a. quantity of a liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a portion only of the liquid hydrocarbon is effected, intimately commingling the hydrocarbon vapors with the combustible gas to be enriched, burning only a small amount of said mixture in a pilot burner to provide hot gases of combustion and utilizing said hot gases to vaporize additional quantities of liquid hydrocarbons, theivaporization of the liquid hydrocarbon being continuous and being eected, at

. least after initiation of the. process, by the intimate contact of hot gases of combustion with an amount of liquid hydrocarbon in excess of that 5 -which can be vaporized by said gases.

11. A method of enriching commercial supplies of a combustible gas which comprises pro- Viding hot gases resulting from a combustion I of combustible material, intimately contacting a- 10 regulated amount of said hot gases' with a quantity of a liquid hydrocarbon whereby vaporization of a portion only of the liquid hydrocarbon f is effected, and intimately commingling the hydrocarbon vapors with the combustible gas to be 15 enriched.

CLYDE B. FAVERTY. 

